Contractible garment



Jan. 25, 1966 Filed Nov. 6, 1964 J. GALLEY CONTRACTIBLE GARMENT 3Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. JOYCE GAL LE Y ATTOR NE YS Filed Nov J. GALLEYCONTRAGTIBLE GARMENT 5 sheets s t INV TOR JOY: ALLEY BY I ATTORNE Jan.25, 1966 J. GALLEY CONTRAGTIBLE GARMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 6,1964 FIG. 9

INVENTOR JOYCE GALLEY United States Patent 3,230,545 CONTRACTIBLEGARMENT Joyce Galley, 13 Gramercy Park S., New York, N.Y. Filed Nov. 6,1964, Ser. No. 409,498 8 Claims. (Cl. 2-74) The present inventionrelates to garments and, more particularly to contractible, fashionableclothing that may be comfortably and attractively worn, withoutalteration, during and after a period of pregnancy or a conscientiousprogram of dieting.

The new and improved dress of the invention is of predeterminedfashionable design, and is opened and closed through the use ofopposing, mating full length vertical fastening tapes of the type havinga hooked or bur strip and a complementary mating looped or fleece strip,which fastening tapes are openable and closable by either pressingtogether or pulling apart the component hooked and looped strips. Inaccordance with the principles of the invention, the closure, which maybe characterized as a vertical full length multiple fly closure,includes an overlying inwardly facing closure strip sewn along avertical edge of the wrong or inside of the garment and at least twounderlying, outwardly facing anchor strips sewn on the right or outsideof the other vertical edge of the dress. The anchor strips aresubstantially parallel to one another and, in accordance with theinvention, one of them is selectively employed with the closure strip toeffect a fly closure of the dress at any one of a plurality of sizesranging from those encountered during periods of pregnancy andoverweightedness to the normal sizes ensuing after having given birth orhaving heavily dieted.

Specifically, in the expanded sizes, the closure strip will be used withthe forwardmost anchor strip to provide the largest possible size, asmay be well understood, while in the normal size the closure strip isfastened to the rearmost anchor strip. In accordance with an importantaspect of the invention, in the maternity or overweight sizes theotherwise exposed anchor strips are covered with removable fly tapes,advantageously fabricated from the same material used in the body of thedress or from the same material used in the decorative trim of thedress, which removable fly tapes are lined with nylon fastening stripsmatable with the above-described anchor strips. As Will be understood,the fly tapes are integral parts of the dress when it is worn in anexpanded size and may be easily removed therefrom after pregnancy orsignificant weight losses from dieting.

More specifically, after pregnancy, for example, the dress may becontracted in a most simple and expeditious manner and withoutalteration, in accordance with the inventive principles, by merelypeeling the decorative fly tapes away from the anchor strips to exposethe latter and thereafter pressing the closure strip to the rearmostexposed anchor strips to contract the dress to a normal size. As anadditional aspect, in certain fashion styles, the neckline of the dressmay be provided with a predetermined degree of contractibility with adraw string or the like to accommodate adjustment and achievement of aproper aesthetic balance of the neckline dimensions with the body of thedress for the sizes selected.

As another feature of the invention, the nylon fastening tapes extendbeyond the hemline of the garment and thus provide for lengthening ofthe dress and its multiple fly closure, if that should be founddesirable or necessary. To that end, and in accordance with anotherspecific aspect of the invention, a plurality of additional nylonfastening tapes, including one hem closure strip located at the bottomedge of the garment and a plurality of hem anchor strips spacedtherefrom, are provided in the hem construction. By selectivelyfastening the hem closure strip to one of the hem anchor strips, thelength of the dress to the hemline can be varied, rapidly and withoutalteration, to meet the requirements and fashion tastes of the wearer.

It will be appreciated that the attractive dresses of the presentinvention, having a new and improved, multiple fly closure, may befashionably worn throughout pregnancy or periods of dieting and may besimply and quickly reduced in size thereafter to provide an equallyattractive and fashionable dress of normal size. For a more completeunderstanding of the present invention and its attendant advantages,reference should be made to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a new andimproved contractible dress having a front multiple fly closure andconstructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the dress of FIG. 1, contracted in size,in accordance with the invention, for normal wear after pregnancy ordieting;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the garment closure in a contractedsize taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the garment closure in an expandedsize and having an anchor strip exposed;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the closure in a maternity sizetaken along line 55 of FIG. 1 with the anchor strip covered anddecorated by a removable fly tape;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of theadjustable collar construction of the garment of FIG. 1 with the collarin an expanded size;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of theadjustable collar construction of the garment. of FIG. 2 with the collarin a contracted size;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG.1 showing details of construction of the new and improved multiple flyclosure at the hemline of the garment;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an alternate preferred embodiment of theinvention in which multiple fly closures are included at opposite sidesof the dress;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the garment of FIG. 9 showingdetails of construction; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view of a dress tube with partsbroken away to show details of the new and improved adjustable hemconstruction.

With reference to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the new contractibledress 9 having a multiple fly closure 10 is shown to be generallytubular in overall configuration, it being understood that theparticular shape may be somewhat conical for A-line fashions andsomewhat cylindrical for the straight fashions. The maternity dress 9includes right front panels and left front panels (in terms of thewearers right and left) 11, 12, respectively, sewn to a back panel 13along seams 14. In accordance with the invention, the dress tube 9 opensand closes along its full length, that is in this embodiment from itsneckline 15 to its hemline 16, at the free edge portions of the frontpanels 12, 11 generally designated by numerals 19, 20, respectively(FIGS. 3-5). As shown in FIG. 1, the right panel 11 is somewhat widerthan the left panel 12 in order that the dress close along the left sideof the wearer in a stylish, asymmetric manner. This is of importance inthe retention of the fashionable style and balance in the latercontraction of the dress, as will be understood.

In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention, themultiple fly closure 10 of the dress is effected with nylon fasteningtapes comprising mating woven strips having cooperating surfacesprovided with releasable interconnecting portions. Specifically, suchfastening tapes are available commercially under the trade designationVelcro and comprise a looped strip having a fleecy velvet-likeappearance and texture and a hooked strip having a bur-like appearance.Nylon fastening tapes of the type described are joined together bypressing the hooks or barbs of one strip into locking engagement withthe loops of a mating strip to effect a substantially flat, attractiveclosure, while unfastening is achieved by peeling the strips apart tofree the barbs from the loops. More explicit details of the specificstructure and manufacture of the Velcro tapes may be had from UnitedStates Patents Nos. 2,717,437 and 3,114,951.

More specifically and as shown best in FIGS. 35, the leading portion ofthe front panel 11 is trimmed on its outside with contrasting decorativetrim fabric 21 and a matching decorative button 21, while on the insideit is provided with a hooked Velcro closure strip 22 extending for thefull length of the panel 11 and advantageously of one inch width. Theclosure strip 22 and the decorative trim 21 may be suitably secured tothe edge of the panel 11 by lines of stitching 23. As shown, theneckline itself and the cuffs of included sleeves 8 are decorated withthe trim 21.

The leading edge portion 19 of the right front panel 12 is finished witha lining panel 26 sewn on the inside thereof by stitching 27, 28 asshown in FIG. 3. In accordance with a very important aspect of theinvention, a forwardmost anchor strip 29 and rearmost auxiliary anchorstrip 39, both of looped nylon Velcro tapes, advantageously of one inchin width, are sewn to the outside of the edge portion 9 of the frontpanel 12 by lines of stitching 24, 25 and 28, respectively, andeffectively extend for its full length. As shown, the width of thelining panel 26 advantageously is such that the seam 28 is coincidentwith an anchor strip and covered thereby.

It should be understood that more than two such anchor strips may beemployed, and that the invention is not intended to be limited to adouble fly closure but rather to a multiple closure which may includeintermediate, auxiliary anchor strips (not shown) between theillustrated forwardmost an drearmost anchor strips. For the purposes ofclarity and brevity of description, two anchor strips are suflicient toillustrate the inventive principles. The specific number and spacing ofthe Velcro anchor strips 29, will determine the range of sizes availableto the wearer, with the forwardmost anchor strip 29 being definitive ofthe fully expanded size of the garment and the rearmost auxiliary anchorstrip 30 being definitive of the fully contracted size, as will beappreciated.

A reliable fly closure of the dress tube 9 in the fullest (maternity orpre-dieting) size (FIG. 1) is eifected by pressing the closure strip 22onto the forwardmost anchor strip 29, as shown in FIG. 4. In accordancewith the invention, the other or auxiliary anchor strip 30 and eachintermediate anchor strip that may be used, which would otherwise beexposed, are covered in a flat, attractive, nonbulging fashion withauxiliary fly tapes 31. As shown in FIG. 5, the fly tape comprises afabric cover strip 32, advantageously for the style illustrated, of thesame contrasting fabric 21 used in the decoration of the sleeves,neckline, and right front panel of the dress; a matching decorativebutton 21 at the upper end of the cover strip; and a Velcro nylon hookedfastening strip 33 similar to the Velcro closure strip 22 and matablewith the looped Velcro anchor strips in a similar fashion. The Velcrostrip 33 and the cover strip 32 may be assembled into a fly tape 31 byappropriate stitching 34, as clearly shown.

After a reduction in size in the wearer and in accordance with theinvention, when it is desired to contract the new dress to normal size(FIG. 2), the fly tape 31 is peeled off the anchor strip 30 (FIG. 4) andthe dress tube is then reclosed by a fly closure by pressing the closurestrip 22 to the outermost anchor strip 30. As will be understood, theentire contracting operation may be quickly completed in a matter ofseconds. As shown in 4 FIG. 3, the exposed anchor strip 30 will behidden from view by the right front dress panel 11, itself.

As explained hereinabove the specific number of anchor strips employedwill determine the degree of adjustability available. Thus, an importantcorollary advantage of the new and improved multiple closure, especiallywhen the dress includes several anchor strips and is worn by a dieter,is that the periodic removal of a fly tape 31 and reclosure at smallersize psychologically tends to encourage weight reduction by giving thedieting wearer tangible evidence of success. In other Words, each anchorstrip is a bench mark clearly showing the progress, or lack thereof, ina weight reducing program.

It will, therefore, be appreciated that each anchor strip employedactually serves multiple functions. That is to say, the anchor strip'cooperating with the closure strip serves to close the dress; the anchorstrip, as selectively employed and cooperating with the closure strip,serves to expand or contract the dress; the anchor strip cooperatingwith a fly tape serves to decorate the dress; and the anchor stripitself serves as a bench mark in a weight reducing program.

Where significant contraction of the dress tube 9 is experienced, it isoften desirable to provide an additional compensating or balancingcontraction of the neckline 15 (which itself is contracted since theclosure 10 extends from the neckline to the hemline) to maintain theaesthetic appearance of the garment. To that end, a pair of looped drawstrings 35 may be secured by seams 37 in channels 36 formed at theneckline 15, advantageously from the dress trim 21, itself, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7. One or more adjusting buttons 38 are spaced rearwardly ofthe loops 39 as shown.

Specifically, when the dress 9 is contracted from the maternity size(FIGS. 1 and 6) to the normal size (FIGS. 2 and 7) the neckline 15 isreduced by the width 15a of the neckline between anchor strips 29, 30.Thereafter it may be gathered and effectively further reduced in size,as shown, by attaching the looped draw strings 35 to the adjustingbuttons 38. It will be appreciated that by balancing the neckline 15 ofthe dress with the overall dress dimensions, determined by theparticular anchor strip selected for closure, a fashionable appearanceof the dress may be maintained at all times.

As an additional important aspect of the invention, and as shown, forexample, in FIG. 8, the Velcro fastening tapes employed in the new andimproved multiple fly closure extend beyond the hemline 16 to the insideof the dress. When it is desired to lengthen the dress, it is necessaryonly to lower the hemline 16 by lowering the hem seam 40 of the dress.As will be appreciated, the associated fastening Velcro tapes willcorrespondingly lengthen the multiple fly closure. Thus a built-in andreadily alterable full length closure may be provided, in accordancewith the invention, by extending the nylon fastening tapes beyond thehemline to the inside of the garment.

An alternate preferred embodiment of-the invention embodied in a tubularsleeveless dress body 50 of different design than that of the dress 9,is shown in FIGS. 9 11, and includes a front panel 51 and a back panel52 of suitable dress fabric. The front and back panels 51, 52 areadvantageously joined at the shoulders 53 which may be decorated withbows 55. The shoulder 53 defines a continuous neckline 56 at upperportions thereof and discontinuous front and rear armhole portions 57 atlower portions thereof along the edges 58, 59 of the front and rearpanels 51, 52, respectively.

In accordance with the invention the sleeveless dress body 50 is openedand closed and the dress 50 may be contracted along a pair of new andimproved multiple fly closures 60, 61 located at opposite sides thereofas shown best in FIG. 10. Each of the multiple fly closures is a fulllength closure extending from the armhole portions 57 to the hemline 62.

More specifically and somewhat similar to the abovedescribed multiplefly closure, the closures 60, 61 include hooked Velcro closure strips 63sewn on the inside of the edges 58 of the front panel which arefastenable to mating forwardmost and rearmost l-ooped Velcro anchorstrips 64, 65 sewn on the outside of the edges 59 of the back panel 52.

In accordance with the invention, the dress may be closed along its fulllength and in the fullest size (FIG. 9) by pressing the closure strips63 on both sides of the garment to the forwardmost anchor strips 64. AsWill be understood, this closure will join the separate armhole portions57 of the front and rear panels to complete the armholes. As animportant aspect of the invention, the otherwise exposed looped anchorstrips 65 are attractive ly concealed by fly tapes 66 (FIG. 9) which aresimilar in construction to the above-described fly tapes 31.Specifically, the fly tapes 66 include a cover strip 67, advantageouslymade of the same material as the dress panels 51, 52 and a hooked Velcrostrip 68 which is matable with the looped anchor strips.

As will be understood, the dress 50 may be contracted to a normal size,without alteration, and in a matter of seconds, in accordance with theinvention, by peeling the fly tapes 66 from the rearmost anchor strips65 and reclosing the closure strips 63 thereto. The so-efiected flyclosure will, again, form continuous armholes from the separate armholeportions 57.

As another feature of the new and improved dress construction of thepresent invention, an adjustable hemline 70 may be included in tubulardress body 80 which advantageously is substantially cylindrical. Asshown in FIG. 11, circular hem anchor strips 71, 72 of looped Velcromaterial are sewn on the inside 81 of the dress tube in a spacedrelation with the bottom edge 74 of the dress tube, while a hem closurestrip 73 of hooked Velcro is sewn adjacent the inside bottom edge 74. Bypressing the closure strip 73 to a selected one of the hem anchor strips71, 72 (any number may be employed, as should be understood), thehemline may be raised or lowered as desired without alteration. Thisadjustable hemline construction may, of course, be incorporate-d withthe hems of either of the above-described new dresses to provide anadded degree of alteration-free adjustability and where desired ornecessary may be incorporated into the sleeve construction of a garment.

The new and improved contractible dresses of the pres ent inventionprovide garments which may be fashionably and economically worn bothduring and after pregnancy or dieting without alteration. Specifically,the novel multiply fly closure of the invention, employing Velcro nylonfastening tapes, provides simple, extremely rapid, and eflicient meansof both closing a garment and adjusting its size along its full length.Additionally, the multiple fly closure itself contributes to thedecorative appearance of the garment in its expanded sizes and providesa series of bench marks for the wearer participating in a weightreduction program.

Furthermore, the new multiple fly closure will, itself, be lengthenedfor full length closure when the dress body is lengthened. To that end,and in accordance with the invention, lengthening of the new garmentsmay be easily and with extreme rapidity be effected, without alterationby providing a plurality of Velcro nylon fastening tapes in the hemconstruction.

Thus it will be appreciated that embodiment of the inventive principlesin a garment will provide an unusual degree of adjustability of size ina garment, a prerequisite in maternity and dieting clothing, whichadjustability may be achieved without costly and complicated tailoringand alteration.

It should be understood that the specific garment structures hereinillustrated and described are intended to be representative only, ascertain changes may be made therein without departing from the clearteachings of the disclosure. Accordingly, reference should be made tothe following appended claims in determining the full scope of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

1. A contractible garment comprising (a) a dress body of dress fabrichaving upper shoulder portions defining a predetermined neckline andhaving lower portions defining a predetermined hemline,

(b) fly closure means at opposite free longitudinal edges of said bodyand extending for the length of said dress body between said necklineand hemline,

(c) said fly closure means including a closing nylon fastening stripsewn along the inside of a first free edge of said body and a matinganchor nylon fastening strip sewn along the outside of the other freeedge,

((1) an auxiliary anchor strip spaced inwardly from said last mentionedanchor strip and extending generally parallel therewith for the entirelength of said dress body, and

(e) a removable auxiliary fly extending the entire length of said dressbody and having a nylon fastening strip matable with said auxiliaryanchor strip sewn along the inside thereof,

(f) said auxiliary fly being removably fastened to said auxiliary tapeand concealing the same, whereby said dress body may be readily andsubstantially immediately contracted by selectively fastening saidclosing strip to said auxiliary anchor strip upon the removal of saidauxiliary fly therefrom.

2. A contractible garment in accordance with claim 1,

in which (a) said auxiliary fly is made of said dress fabric.

3. A contractible garment in accordance with claim 1,

in which (a) a decorative trim of predetermined fabric other than saiddress fabric is sewn along the outside of said first free edge, and

(b) said auxiliary fly is made of said predetermined decorative trimfabric.

4. A contractible garment in accordance with claim 1,

in which (a) said fly closure means is located in the front of saiddress body and to one side of the central axis of symmetry of saiddress.

5. A contractible dress comprising (a) a generally tubular dress bodyhaving opposing full length free edge portions along which it isopenable and closable,

(b) fly closure means including a first anchor strip and a closure stripat said opposite free longitudinal edges of said body and extending forsaid full length of said body,

(c) an auxiliary anchor strip spaced inwardly from said first anchorstrip and extending generally parallel therewith for the full lenth ofsaid dress body,

(d) a removable fly extending the full length of said body and having afastening strip matable with said auxiliary anchor strip sewn along thefull length of the inside thereof,

(e) said fly being removably fastened to said auxiliary strip andconcealing the same,

(f) whereby said dress may be readily and substantially immediatelycontracted by selectively fastening said closing strip to said auxiliaryanchor strip upon the removal of said auxiliary fly therefrom.

6. A dress in accordance with claim 5, in which (a) said closure strip,anchor strip and removable fly comprise hooked and looped nylonfastening tape means.

7. A contractible garment comprising (a) an open sleeveless dress bodyhaving front and rear panels connected at the upper shoulder portionsthereof,

(b) said shoulder portions defining a predetermined neckline andpredetermined armhole portions,

(0) said front and rear panels eXtending from said shoulder portions toa predetermined hemline,

(d) each of said panels having two free edges extending the full lengthof said dress body at opposite sides thereof from said armhole portionsto said hemline,

(e) multiple fly closure means connecting said free edges at each sideof said dress body,

(f) said fly closure means including a closing nylon fastening stripsewn along the inside full length of one free edge of said body andmating anchor nylon fastening strips sewn along the outside of the otherfree edge,

(g) removable flies being fastened to all but one of said anchor stripson each side of said garment and concealing the same,

(h) whereby said front and rear panels define a closed, generallytubular dress body in which said armhole portions cooperate to definecomplete armholes, said dress body may be readily and substantiallyimmediately contracted by selectively fastening said closing of saidauxiliary fly therefrom.

strip to said auxiliary anchor strip upon the removal 8. A contractiblegarment in accordance with claim 7, in which (a) said flies are of thesame material as said dress fabric.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,010,679 12/1911Padernacht 274 1,123,212 1/1915 Abrams 276 2,123,969 7/1938 ROSenblatt270 X 2,261,662 11/1941 Reno 276 2,520,653 8/1950 Rand 248 X 3,009,23511/1961 De Mestral.

FOREIGN PATENTS 105,448 4/ 1917 Great Britain. 1,263,391 5/ 1961 France.

Vogue Pattern Book, February-March 1960.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,230,545 January 25, 1966 Joyce Galley It is hereby certified thaterror appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and thatthe said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 41, for "an drearmost" read and rearmost column 7, line24, strike out "of said auxiliary fly therefrom." and insert insteadstrip to said auxiliary anchor strip upon the removal column 8, line 1,strike out "strip to said auxiliary anchor strip upon the removal" andinsert instead of said auxiliary fly thgerefrqm,

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of January 1967.

( L) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

5. A CONTRACTIBLE DRESS COMPRISING (A) A GENERALLY TUBULAR DRESS BODYHAVING OPPOSING FULL LENGTH FREE EDGE PORTIONS ALONG WHICH ITS ISOPENABLE AND CLOSABLE, (B) FLY CLOSURE MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST ANCHORSTRIP AND A CLOSURE STRIP AT SAID OPPOSITE FREE LONGITUDINAL EDGES OFSAID BODY AND EXTENDING FOR SAID FULL LENGTH OF SAID BODY, (C) ANAUXILIARY ANCHOR STRIP SPACED INWARDLY FROM SAID FIRST ANCHOR STRIP ANDEXTENDING GENERALLY PARALLEL THEREWITH FOR THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID DRESSBODY, (D) A REMOVABLE FLY EXTENDING THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID BODY ANDHAVING A FASTENING STRIP MATABLE WITH SAID AUXILIARY ANCHOR STRIP SEWNALONG THE FULL LENGTH OF THE INSIDE THEREOF, (E) SAID FLY BEINGREMOVABLY FASTENED TO SAID AUXILIARY STRIP AND CONCEALING THE SAME, (F)WHEREBY SAID DRESS MAY BE READILY AND SUBSTANTTIALLY IMMEDIATELYCONTRACTED BY SELECTIVELY FASTENING THE REMOVAL OF SAID AUXILIARY FLYTHEREFROM.